diff --git a/.github/workflows/test.yml b/.github/workflows/test.yml
index 6f8f5c8..dccb365 100644
--- a/.github/workflows/test.yml
+++ b/.github/workflows/test.yml
@@ -40,6 +40,7 @@ jobs:
           checkout-fetch-depth: 0
           checkout-ref: main
           checkout-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
+          checkout-submodules: false
           setup-java: true
           java-distribution: 'temurin'
           java-version: '25'
@@ -126,6 +127,7 @@ jobs:
           checkout: true
           checkout-fetch-depth: 0
           checkout-ref: main
+          checkout-submodules: false
           checkout-token: ${{ secrets.GITHUB_TOKEN }}
 
       - name: Verify Checkout Outputs
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index a8f7ad5..10547a4 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -27,12 +27,13 @@ Common steps for initializing a job for GitHub actions. This composite action co
 
 **Repository Checkout**
 
-| Input                | Description                                              | Required | Default |
-|----------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|----------|---------|
-| checkout             | Whether to checkout the repository                       | No       | -       |
-| checkout-ref         | The branch, tag or SHA to checkout                       | No       | -       |
-| checkout-token       | Personal access token (PAT) used to fetch the repository | No       | -       |
-| checkout-fetch-depth | Depth of commit history to fetch                         | No       | 0       |
+| Input                | Description                                              | Required | Default | Options                    |
+|----------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|----------|---------|----------------------------|
+| checkout             | Whether to checkout the repository                       | No       | -       | `true`/`false`             |
+| checkout-ref         | The branch, tag or SHA to checkout                       | No       | -       | any `branch`/`tag`/`SHA`   |
+| checkout-token       | Personal access token (PAT) used to fetch the repository | No       | -       | `Token` used for checkout  |
+| checkout-fetch-depth | Depth of commit history to fetch                         | No       | 0       | `0` (full)/`1`/`2`/...     |
+| checkout-submodules  | Whether to fetch submodules                              | No       | false   | `true`/`false`/`recursive` |
 
 **Java**
 
diff --git a/action.yml b/action.yml
index 60e1fb1..ebb7dae 100644
--- a/action.yml
+++ b/action.yml
@@ -16,6 +16,10 @@ inputs:
     description: 'Depth of commit history to fetch'
     required: false
     default: '0'
+  checkout-submodules:
+    description: 'Whether to checkout submodules (true/false/recursive)'
+    default: 'false'
+    required: false
   setup-node:
     description: 'Whether to setup Node.js'
     required: false
@@ -200,6 +204,7 @@ runs:
         echo "::group::Checkout Code Parameters"
         echo "Ref: ${{ inputs.checkout-ref }}"
         echo "Fetch Depth: ${{ inputs.checkout-fetch-depth }}"
+        echo "Submodules: ${{ inputs.checkout-submodules }}"
         echo "::endgroup::"
 
     - name: Checkout Code
@@ -208,6 +213,7 @@ runs:
       if: ${{ inputs.checkout == 'true' }}
       with:
         fetch-depth: ${{ inputs.checkout-fetch-depth }}
+        submodules: ${{ inputs.checkout-submodules }}
         ref: ${{ inputs.checkout-ref }}
         token: ${{ inputs.checkout-token }}